Replies

Step back from the "predestination / free will" divide for awhile and ponder the reality that this is just a basic philosophical problem, written in theological terminology.

Even the atheist has to wrestle with the question "Am I a free agent? Or am I determined by the history of the chemical and physical reactions out of which I came?" "If I am not 'free,' how can I be held 'responsible,' for anything?" "If I am 'free' to choose, how does that develop out of a purely materialist base?" "Does not 'freedom' require a non-material source?"

The issue of "predestination / free choice" is something every thinking person struggles with, regardless of his religion or lack thereof.

As you can see from the responses, this is an area of much disagreement. Your remarks about what those who disagree with you should do (read your bible - as if we would comment without having done so, for many years) was rather arrogant and I simply pointed that out.

I do not have the time to conduct a internet bible study with those who agree with you and dismiss any other view with unsustained claims of 'unscriptual' for every point raised, pro or con. I simply state that in the matter of salvation, God clearly wants all of his human creation to be with him in paradise for enternity but with man's sinful nature keeping us from God, which Jesus points out, only a sin offering can pay the price. That offering was Christ and his physical and spiritual death on the cross, given for mankind. He is our path to salvation. There is no other way. We may accept God's gift of eternal life, through Christ, or not. Most of humanity do not.

This free will takes many forms, and is why we have Hitlers and bin Laden's in the world, doing Satan's will, not God's. Read Job for a good example of this. God allows Satan to rule but God can be moved by sincere prayer, as he was in scripture, and Jesus advises us that when we resist the Devil, he will flee from us. Most don't resist very well so Mankind must suffer the consequences of sin, both on earth and eternally. If we didn't, there would be no point to God's grace and free will. The drunk driver would never hit anyone, the murderers gun would always misfire and Hitler would have spent his life housepainting. That would not be free will. Yes, we have Free Will, we also misuse it daily and often we - or the innocent - suffer the consequences. Hard to face but true. Look around you for all the evidence you need. The good news is that our free will allows us to accept Christ as Savior and grow in his love as we strive to live the kind of life God would have us lead, a righteous life. Not without problems, temptations and suffering but a life that understands the love of God for us through the gift of salvation and works to show that love through our actions and attitudes as we live with our fellow man - and God's children, acting as God's messengers and ambassadors on earth, while still his servants.

If God wishes something accomplished, He will do it, often through the acts of righteous people working within His will because they love Him and as Christians, they seek to please God. When we accept Christ we turn our will over to Him, to be his servant. Obviously we waver on this all the time and no one is a perfect servant of God, but we do wish to please Him and do His will. As the Lord's Prayer showed us: "Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven" His will becomes our will but it's still Free Will. We may still reject God's command (at our peril).

When it comes to salvation we are free to accept or reject God, Christ and redemption. This is why no one in hell will be able to say, "It wasn't my fault I didn't believe in Jesus and accept his salvation". It WILL be that persons 'fault'. He/she had the will to accept or reject Christ. That is the fact that some are afraid of dealing with. That is my belief.